


From the Start, It was Clear

by AJConstantine



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex Danvers & Lena Luthor Friendship, F/F, Identity Reveal, Lena Luthor - Freeform, Lena Luthor Finds Out Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Protective Lena Luthor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-04 17:04:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16350662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJConstantine/pseuds/AJConstantine
Summary: Arriving in National City, Lena Luthor has a chance encounter with Kara Danvers, a fledgling reporter at Cat-Co Worldwide, and finds that the young woman is far more than just another journalist out to smear the Luthor name.I suck with Summaries but give it a go, you might like it :P All feedback is appreciated! (Also no Beta, so feel free to point out grammatical mistakes!)





	1. Chapter 1 - The Truth will set you free

**Author's Note:**

> Hi folks, so this is my first attempt at a FanFiction, so play nice :). This will potentially be a complete rewrite of season 2 onwards, with the central focus being what Kara and Lena's relationship could have been throughout, if Kara's secret had been revealed pretty much from the get go! I take some 'Artistic Liberties' with certain aspects of the characters backgrounds and feelings, but I'm going to try and stay canon-is in terms of backgrounds... maybe. Let me know what y'all think, if enough people seem to like the idea then I'll keep going, if not weak, back to the drawing board! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the read!

Fear. Hatred. Insanity. Thats all that was left of the Luthor name when Lena first sat at her desk. The CEO of Luthor-Corp. She never wanted this. She never asked for this. Yet here she was, stood on the balcony of Luther-Corp, National City, looking out across the skyline, wondering what the hell she had got herself into. While yes she had her trepidations, being a woman in a position of power is almost never easy, especially an attractive woman, she knew that she was able, she was willing, but she was also rebellious. 

See the thing people forget about Lena Luthor, she both loves and hates her last name. She loves it for the power it brings, as soon as she enters a room, the aura of the room changes, the balance of power shifts and she has been taught well how to use it. For all her flaws, Lillian Luthor knew the value of power and she knew how to wield it, a trait that, willingly or not has been passed on to Lena. Yet, with that power, comes a significant amount of tension, hatred, fear and jealousy. Forging relationships has never been easy for Lena, almost everyone wants to use her, be it for money, status or any other selfish reasons, but others just want to see her burn. Not necessarily for anything she has done, but for what her name stands for: Xenophobe, Racist, Murder. With labels like those, comes very little time for a personal life, as no-one around her is safe. 

Age 23 and already multiple assassination attempts, that would be enough to make anyone run and hide. But not her, not Lena Luthor. She stands her ground, she fights, she stares down the barrel of the gun, expecting a shot that ultimately never comes and comes out the other side all the stronger for it. But yet when two reporters enter her office after an explosion of a Spacecraft she was supposed to be on, of course she was the suspect and not considered the target. Among the two was non other than Clark Kent, Superman. Of course she knows he is, her insane brothers hate fuelled obsession. She’ll let him keep his secrets of course, she has many of her own and while she holds little but contempt for the Super, she knew deep down that he is not to blame for her brothers slip from reality. 

Yet besides him, was a face she did not know. Throughout her ‘interrogation’ with Superman, she was carefully studying the young blonde besides him. She was nervous, unsure of herself, evidently by the fact that she was letting Clark, who she claimed was her cousin, do almost all the talking. Lena took in her physical appearance: Ponytail, High cut dress, Pink jacket, In-expensive bag. All evidence would point to a shy and intimidated trainee, tagging along to see the great Luthor put under scrutiny, but then she took a look, just a quick one, into the deep blue of her eyes and it told her a completely different story. See, Lena Luthor had what many would call a gift. She has the ability to read someones state of mind, from looking into their eyes. She could never get the whole picture, but fragments of an individuals story. 

The blonde felt alone. She felt lost in a world she didn’t feel she belonged in. There was love in those eyes though, a care that not many people can maintain, but it was scarred with loss and a rage that was bursting to break through. Lena had to know more. Lena knew loss, and what it meant to be alone and by god did she have rage. As the interview came to a close and Clark left the room she called out to the blonde. 

“Kara”. The Blonde faltered at the doorway for a moment before turning to look at her. “Yes Miss Luthor?” Lena rose up from her desk and made her way to the young woman at her door way, she held out her hand and locked eyes with her, she felt the blonde accept her gesture in kind, “I hope I will see you again soon”. And with that the blonde have her a curt nod, before releasing her hand and scuttling off to catch up with Clark. A small smirk formed in the corner of Lena’s mouth, _”Cute”,_ she thought to herself, closing the door with her other hand, the hand that just shook the fledgling reporters hand still aloft, memorising the feel of what it just touched, committing it to memory. But the moment was cut short, as her intercom beeped, with the voice of her secretary spouting through moments after and it was back into work mode. Little did she know that her next encounter with the blonde, would arrive far sooner than she anticipated, but not quite in the form that she was expecting.

Lena hated flying, always had, and yet here she was, sat in the back of a helicopter against her better instincts, she had a habit of always being in positions she never wanted to be in. Not 5 minutes after the helicopter had taken off, did remote piloted drones try another attempt at her life. For not the first time in her life, did Lena make peace that this was her end, but the moment was short lived as the Supers arrived in their usual nick of time, and prevented her demise. After dealing with the initial attack, Superman went off in hunt of more drones and the potential source, while Supergirl came to her side in the helicopter to make sure everyone was ok. It only took a second and she saw it. Supergirl had the same eyes. The same loss, the same rage, the same isolation, despite the fact she had arrived with Superman. She kept her voice low, despite her shock, she knew not to compromise her identity to her staff around her.

“Kara…” she said, in such a light and breathy tone that no human could have ever heard it, but a Kryptonian could. Supergirl who was currently focusing on the pilot snapped her head around, surprise written across her face. There was a new emotion in the Supers eyes, fear. She could tell, as the Kryptonian spoke, that she was trying to stay composed. “Miss Luthor… Are you OK?” For such a simple question, it was incredibly loaded. It was a question, within a question; _“Do I need to be afraid of you? Are you going to expose me?”._ She had to craft her response carefully. While she had indifferent feelings towards the male super, this young woman floating here besides her was a completely unknown entity. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, I’m fine. Are you?” The fear still remained, however it was slightly comforted, its only natural. A secret that maybe no-one else knows, is revealed to a family member of the person who tried to kill her cousin. “I’m ok, Miss Luthor, but I don’t think you are. Someone is trying to kill you and you need keeping safe. Could…” There was an evident pause, the Super formulating her thoughts, “Could I talk to you, later, make sure that you’re safe?”. Hope. There was a flicker, just for a second. That flicker, was what made Lena say yes. Her self preservation drive had kicked in, _”Could she want to take me out, quietly with no-one around, does she want to isolate me and torture me to prevent me from speaking,”_ but then Lena saw that hope and she knew that she was wrong. 

So late that night in at the Luther-Corp building, Lena sat on her couch, staring out at her balcony, going through the impending conversation in her head. Undoubtably the kryptonian was going to deny that she was Kara Danvers, claim that she is mistaken and Lena would let her. She extended that courtesy to Clark, why not to the hero of her now home city. So when a light knock at her office door sounds out and in walks Kara Danvers, in her modest, brightly coloured clothes, it was her turn to be surprised. Kara carefully closed the door behind her, a clear shake in the hands, the poor girl was terrified. Kara took a deep breath as the door closed and she swivelled round to make eye contact with Lena, flashing an incredibly quick smile. The young Luther responded with a carefully composed smile, patting the sofa next to her, inviting the kryptonian to sit with her. Kara made her way over to the plush sofa and sat down, placing her back off to the side and setting her palms on her thighs. After a few moments she reached up and took the bobble out of her hair, letting her golden hair cascade around her shoulders, she placed her glasses on the table and then carefully looked upon the face of the wide eyed Luthor. It was Kara’s turn to hold out her hand to the Lena, and when it was accepted, their eyes locked, fear still present in the kryptonian’s but with pockets of hope flaring up. Lena was entranced, before her was one of the most powerful beings on the planet giving up the secret that could potentially ruin the rest of her life and all she could do was be in awe of her beauty. “Hi…”, the blonde started. “My, my name is Kara Zor’El, it’s nice to meet you… properly”


	2. Chapter 2 - Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara opens up to the Luthor about her life, who she is and who she wants to be...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi folks, thank you for the comments and the kudos, it means a great deal, it really does! As promised here is Chapter 2, now I am altering Kara's back story and personality quirks *slightly*, again, I hope you enjoy! Feedback and Criticism is always appreciated and as always, no Beta so any mistakes please point them out!
> 
> Also, this chapter is a lot of exposition, setting up the back stories and developing a bond which will feed into the rest of the chapters!

It’s not every day that you bare your soul to another being, especially when, from the moment that you arrive in a foreign land, you are told to hide who you are, live in the shadows, be a ghost. And so, late at at night, with the glow of the moon gently beating down upon the L-Corp building, the lights dimmed low, the most powerful being on the planet, opened her soul to the one person she was told to not even give the time of day. Kara broke the deadlock gaze they had been holding, kicked off her shoes and in a very child like fashion, tucked legs underneath her, sat back, closed her eyes and began. 

“I don’t know how to start. I’ve.. I’ve never really told any one my story, not all of it anyway.” She took a deep breath and continued “Everyday I wake up terrified, you wouldn’t think it would be possible after so long, but every morning I wake in a cold sweat, terrified of waking to black. I was 13. 13 years old when I was shook awake by my parents, being told its the end of the world. I don’t quite think Ive ever fully recovered from that!” She stated with a small grimace. “Within, 5 minutes of being tossed awake I was being bundled into an escape craft, I didn’t want to go, I don’t think I really understood quite what was happening, but I…” Kara winced, tears forming at the edge of her eyes. Lena gently scooted herself along the sofa and placed her arm gently around Kara’s back an invitation to let go, to feel. It felt natural for Kara, to rest her head on the welcoming shoulder, tears were almost free flowing, “I wanted a hug.” She turned her head to meet the young Luthors eyes. What Lena saw was shattering, this being, now clutching to her arm, hated herself. “I wanted a hug from my Mom and my Dad and it killed them, _I_ killed them.” Kara covered her mouth with her hand, the tears streaming down her face. 

Not even Alex knew about the guilt she harboured, the hatred she has for herself, but somehow she felt that the brunette besides her would understand, she’d reached breaking point and needed someone to know. Lena enveloped a fully sobbing kryptonian in her arms, Kara’s head gently sobbing into the crook of her neck, with tears threatening to spill from her own eyes, the gravity of what is occurring in her office was overwhelming. Theres a special feeling that you get, that hits you like a freight train, when for the first time in your life, you know that someone trusts you explicitly… but she didn’t know why. She kept her Luthor training repressed, the voice of there mother clawing to get through, _”She’s just using you, she’s trying to exploit your ‘do good’ nature.”_ , while she didn’t listen to the voice in her head, she still wanted to know why she was allowed to know a gods weakness. 

They sat there, comfortable in each others presence for the next 10 minutes, Kara calming down from the overwhelming emotion that had been coursing through her body. “Kara… you don’t have to continue you know, I don’t even know why you’re telling me this, I mean I’m honoured, but truthfully I was expecting the black ops agents to be swarming my office and threatening me with the bug guns they like to wave around.” That brought a chuckle from the alien besides her, and she smiled a genuine smile. “Not going to lie that was one option, but then _sniff_ we wouldn’t be having so much fun…” They both erupted in a fit of laughter, shortly after that, the gravity of what had been shared lifting slightly and Kara gently extracted herself from the Luthors embrace, eyes meeting again and a silent ‘thank you’ exchanged through looks alone. “I don’t know why I’m telling you”, Kara started back up again, “But looking now, into your eyes, I just know you’re not going to hurt me”. _”Damn”_ , the Luthor thought _”Theres that fucking train again…”_. The blonde took a deep inhale, “I got this far, I may as well… continue a bit longer. I held my Mom, crying into her, I didn’t want to let go. I was told, _‘Look after your little cousin, he’s going to need you to be strong ok?’_.” Lena couldn’t help but interrupt, “Wait, hold on, sorry. Did you say younger cousin?”. Kara had a small, wavering grin, “Yeah, it’s eh kinda complicated. Basically I got trapped, in a place we called the Phantom zone, its basically a dimension where time doesn’t pass, and the rest of the universe keeps on flowing around it. I was trapped… for 24 years. I was awake for a period, but I don’t really remember it. I just remember the feeling of nothing, of being completely alone in a vast amount of nothingness, it was terrifying.” Lena grabbed a handkerchief from the table in-front of them passed it to Kara, who at the recollection of the feeling was sniffling a considerable amount. It was an emotional experience for the kryptonian, and the Luther would do everything she could to make sure she came out of it feeling better at the end. “But yeah, I would be 37 now, and Clark would be 24, instead, it’s the other way around. Yet another one of my failures.”

Kara hung her head in shame, the last thing her parents asked her to do, and she couldn’t even do that. She could almost laugh, _’the pathetic life of Kara Zor’El’_ , she thought to herself. “But I escaped, a feat I owe to a criminal of all things. When I arrived, there he was stood over me, my baby cousin, a grown man. Then he abandoned me with a family I didn’t know, on a planet I didn’t know, with a people I didn’t know.” Her voice was rising, anger was gradually consuming the usually gentle being, “I just wanted my family, but I was thrown away, like a piece of trash.” There was resentment all over her face, in her words, a resentment that she clearly had never got over. While Lena noted they seemed to be on good terms from their earlier encounter together, it was clear it was a facade. Clark probably doesn’t even realise the pain he caused this beautiful young woman, and Lena’s already grim outlook on the male super, just hit a new low.

“Don’t get me wrong though, I loved living with the Danvers, I mean, I didn’t at first, all I wanted was my mom and dad… or Clark for that fact, but they were really good to me, even Alex came around in the end.” A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she mentioned Alex, a new calm washing over the super. “Alex, is one thing I’m glad that I lost my planet for. I couldn’t imagine a life without her in it, even if she did hate me for the longest period, but that’s a story for another time!” But then another shift was felt between the two, Kara’s head dropped and she started picking at the threads of her top, the flicker of a smile faded into nothingness. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start to life on earth, but I was never free. Every child, no matter what planet you come from, what faith you are, what colour your skin may be, will always dream of being special, powerful, supernatural. So when your life gets completely destroyed, everyone you know and love, ripped away in one blinding exposition and then you’re given a gift, a gift so powerful that you could end the world in the blink of an eye, or rule from on high, yet all you want to do is help… but you’re told no. You are told to live in constant fear, trust no-one, do nothing and most of all never trust a Luthor.” A singular laugh came from the kryptonian as she realised the position she as currently in. 

“And so you do. You keep your head down, you do what is expected, you get an average GPA, you go to college, you get a subservient job, when you could be so much more. Even without supernatural abilities, I could be so much more, I have so much knowledge ratting around in my head, science, math, music, but instead I became the klutz, the bumbling blonde who somehow hasn’t been fired. So when the day came that I thought I could break free, that I could save my sister from her death and become who I can be, I get shot out the sky, thrown in a cage… I get feared.” Right there. Lena saw it, just a second, a flicker of hate before it’s purged, compartmentalised. “And then shackles were reattached, but in the guise of being a government “ally”, when in reality I’m just a soldier, sent to deal with battles that could easily be handled by normal agents, but why risk human lives, send the Alien and If she refuses, lock her back in the cage.” Kara’s knuckles were bright white, she had clenched her hand so tight, she’d cut off her circulation. “But it’s not all bad you know”, she relaxed her hand and quickly flipped the mood around, putting on a semi-fake smile. “If I hadn’t been allowed to use my powers, I would never have had the experiences that I’ve had, I’d never had met you… well, maybe we would have, but not without a wall of lies between us, I’m glad that’s not the case.”

It had been a whirlwind conversation, emotions peaking and falling, highs and hatred shared, it was a lot for Lena to process. It was clearly alot for the blonde to process, it was evident she’s never spoken out like this before, although its not the sort of conversation you can have with anyone, and Lena was still in disbelief that _she_ was the one that the Kryptonian has chosen to share this part of her life with. They both sat in comfortable silence for a further while longer, both just processing, before Kara checked her watch and almost jumped out her own skin. “Oh wow, I’ve kept you for far too long, I’ll eh, I’m gonna go. It’s been, it’s been good to share, you know?”. Lena gave her a warm smile and nod as Kara gathered her things and put her shoes back on. 

“Kara…”, Lena called as the young blonde was heading to the door. She all but ran over to the alien and pulled her into what anyone else would consider a bone-crushing hug. “I would give so much to have one last hug from my mom… my real mom. Don’t hate yourself for being human… ok?”, she said in such a light whisper that no-one without Kara’s abilities would ever be able to hear the words. Kara mushed her eyes together, she didn’t want to start up crying again, she’s just got them under control and just melted into the embrace. They eventually parted and Lena walked out with Kara, down the hallway to the elevator. Once it had arrived, Kara stepped in and Lena gave her one last smile. “I’ll see you again soon, Kara Zor’El.” With that the elevator doors closed and Lena made her way back to her office and sat back down on the sofa. She placed a hand where Kara had been sitting, it was still incredibly warm. A smirk formed on the Luthors face, “Well she is basically a walking solar panel”, she said out loud having a chuckle to herself. A quick call to her driver and a promise of a large bonus for such a late call out later, she grabbed a small glass of scotch from her cabinet before walking out onto the balcony, and leaning against the rail. Out in the distance, a silhuette against the dark night, was gently hovering in the sky, watching out across the city, it’s protector. Then like a flash, the figure was gone, disappeared into the jumble of buildings and streets. Lena took a sip of her drink and spoke out into the night, “Stay safe, Supergirl”. 


End file.
